Claiming Manafort Lied, Special Counsel Cancels Cooperation Deal

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Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort repeatedly lied to federal investigators after agreeing to cooperate with the ongoing investigation into Russian interference and potential coordination with the Trump campaign, prosecutors said Monday.

In a new court filing released Monday night, special counsel Robert Mueller’s office said Manafort had violated his plea deal by lying and should be sentenced immediately.

“After signing the plea agreement, Manafort committed federal crimes by lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Counsel’s Office on a variety of subject matters, which constitute breaches of the agreement,” the special counsel’s office said.

Manafort was convicted on eight counts of bank and tax fraud in August. The next month, he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with Mueller in exchange for a reduced sentence.

In the new court filing, the special counsel’s office said Manafort’s lies constitute new crimes, and that prosecutors are no longer obligated to recommend a reduced sentence for the conspiracy charges to which he pleaded guilty.

The news about Manafort allegedly lying to federal investigators comes just hours after former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos reported to prison to serve his sentence — for lying to federal investigators.